One of the Best Investments I Have Ever Made Cost Less than 85 dollars
Spoiler alert: It’s a Kindle.
As a kid and early teen, I would seek refuge in libraries, book stores, and book fairs. Wandering through the aisles, I would pick books that piqued my interest. At a friend’s or relative’s place, I would sometimes chance upon an interesting book and borrow it.
I didn’t have any particular interests and read whatever came my way which were mostly fantasy fiction, detective novels, and abridged classics.
As I grew older, I developed interests and my reading volume increased. Buying or borrowing physical books was no longer feasible.
When I first switched to reading on my computer, I would download and read pdfs. I soon discovered Book Bazaar Reader which gave me a much better reading experience.
Sometimes I would pretend to study by keeping a textbook open while secretly reading on my hidden smartphone.
I finished the entire Inheritance tetralogy this way.
Long hours of reading along with gaming on electronic screens took a toll on my eyesight. I had to start using glasses and my eyeglass prescription jumped a notch every few months.
When I developed a slight migraine, I finally called it quits. My reading habit gradually declined.
A few weeks later my migraine disappeared and I heard about the Kindle for the first time. It was an e-ink reader that Amazon had introduced in India a year or two ago.
I got excited, ordered it, and when I received it a few days later, I was on cloud nine. This was in 2015.
It has been close to 5 years and my trusty Kindle has stuck with me through thin and thick witnessing thousands of pages scrolled and words looked up.
Reading is one of the habits to which I can attribute most of my perspective development, language development, knowledge, learning, and overall personal growth.
I doubt I would have achieved even half as much reading as I have if not for the Kindle. I have even come to prefer it over physical books.
Why do I think the Kindle is better?
1. Inbuilt dictionary:
I read mostly English classics nowadays and they have gazillions of archaic and new words. Sometimes I come across familiar words whose meaning I just can’t seem to recall. The nifty inbuilt dictionary allows me to look up words, and their pronunciations on the go.
Irrespective of what you read, unless you have a vocabulary matching Shashi Tharoor’s, you will need a dictionary.
2. Less expensive:
Even with the initial cost of buying the Kindle, this route will be much less expensive in the long run since every e-book is cheaper than it’s physical counterpart.
Also, unless you are looking for newly released books, you will almost certainly find a free copy on the internet if you dig enough.
P.S: I don’t support pirating nor should you. Unless you really can’t afford a book, don’t go for pirated copies.
3. Built-in light:
My version of the Kindle doesn’t have a built-in light but you can get a version which does for a slightly higher price than mine. The light is an ambient yellow glow as opposed to the harsh blue light of electronic screens.
As someone that likes to read before bed, being able to read without the harsh LED shining on my eyes would be a boon. I am planning on upgrading soon.
4. Portability:
Before you retort, “Even an actual book is portable”, hear me out. A book or two might be portable but thousands aren’t. The Kindle can store 1000+ books and you can carry it around in your pocket.
5. Customizable font:
Some books have really small font where you have to strain your eyes to read while some others have really big font where every page gets over too soon. With the Kindle, I can adjust the font size to suit my convenience. Things like font style, line spacing, etc. can also be customized.
6. You save trees:
32 million trees are cut down every year to make books in the US alone. By switching to e-readers, you can save trees.
The Downsides.
Photos are black and white which makes reading comics or books with images a lot less fun. Initially, I hated the screen flicker every time I turned a page but I have gotten used to it now.
If you are someone that enjoys the feel of paper, the rustle of turning pages, and the overall feeling of holding a book in your hands, then a Kindle might not be for you.
Ending words.
Irrespective of whether you choose to buy a Kindle or any other e-reader for that matter, inculcate the habit of reading.
Every good book you read will take you on a journey leaving you with fresh insights, a good feeling, new ideas, more knowledge, and a wider perspective of life.
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one.” — George R.R. Martin
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